Most VET in Australia is provided in government-administered colleges. In some states and territories these are referred to as TAFE colleges or institutes. To a lesser extent, VET may also be provided by Institutes of Technology, some higher education institutions, schools and agricultural colleges, adult and community education authorities, private providers of education (such as business colleges) and employers. VET institutions offer programs for a wide range of purposes, ranging from recreation and leisure, through basic employment and educational preparation, to trades training, and para-professional and professional levels.

In 2002 there were 85 TAFE and other publicly funded institutions with 1,461 provider locations delivering VET training. A further 894 community education providers and 5,402 other providers (mainly private providers) delivering VET were at least partly publicly funded.

Students and courses

Table 10.13 shows participation in the publicly funded VET system. In 2002 there were 60,500 more female than male VET clients. Just over 53% of VET clients aged under 30 years were male. Females, however, were in the majority (55%) for VET clients aged 30 years or more.

10.13 VET(a) CLIENTS(b), Vocational and preparatory courses(c)-2002

Males

Females

Persons(d)

Age group (years)

'000

'000

'000

Under 16

21.2

19.7

40.9

16

32.0

28.4

61.3

17

41.7

33.9

75.7

18

56.7

47.1

103.9

19

55.3

43.7

99.1

20-24

162.5

136.5

299.3

25-29

104.7

104.3

209.4

30-39

183.1

198.9

382.6

40-49

144.2

188.0

332.8

50-59

85.4

109.4

195.3

60-64

17.5

23.3

40.9

65 and over

18.6

30.1

48.9

Not stated

38.1

59.0

103.1

Total clients

961.0

1,022.4

1,993.1

(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers and publicly funded delivery by private providers. Fee-for-service VET delivery by private providers has been excluded. Schools data submitted by states and territories has been excluded.(b) A client is any individual participating in a specific enrolment or training contract with a specific organisation at any time in 2002.(c) Courses leading to a vocational award.(d) Includes sex not stated.

Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, data available on request, National Vocational Education and Training Collection.

VET programs are described according to Field of Education in the Australian Standard Classification of Education. The classification uses 12 categories to identify the fields of education on the basis of similar emphasis or subject matter orientation. Table 10.14 shows the number of course enrolments in each field of education in 2002. Since clients may be enrolled in more than one VET course the number of course enrolments is greater than the total number of clients - there were 2.3 million course enrolments in 2002 compared with 2.0 million clients.

If Mixed field programmes are excluded, then Management and commerce, Engineering and related technologies, and Society and culture courses accounted for 55% of the remaining 2,017,700 VET enrolments in 2002.

Males made up a clear majority of enrolments in the fields of education of Architecture and building (86%), Engineering and related technologies (84%), Agriculture, environmental and related studies (74%) and Information technology (62%). Females were in the majority in Society and culture (72%), Creative arts (69%), Management and commerce (64%), Education (59%), Food, hospitality and personal services (59%), Health (58%) and Natural and physical sciences (56%) (table 10.14).

(a) Includes all VET delivery by TAFE and other government providers, registered community providers, and publicly funded delivery by private providers. Fee-for-service VET delivery by private providers has been excluded. Schools data submitted by states and territories has been excluded.(b) Courses leading to a vocational award.(c) Includes sex not stated.

Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, data available on request, National Vocational Education and Training Collection.

Apprenticeships and traineeships

Some 35% of all apprentices and trainees at 31 December 2002 were in the broad occupational group Tradespersons and related workers. In this group, Construction and Automotive trades accounted for 23% and 17%, respectively, of the group total (table 10.15).

Most (87%) of the apprentices and trainees in the broad occupational group Tradespersons and related workers were male. The only field of trade in this occupational group with a female majority was Hairdressers where 92% were females.

10.15 APPRENTICES AND TRAINEES, In training - 31 December 2002

Males

Females

Persons

Total

Major occupation group(a)

'000

'000

'000

%

Managers and administrators

2.7

2.9

5.5

1.5

Professionals

1.0

1.5

2.5

0.7

Associate professionals

9.7

11.8

21.4

5.7

Tradespersons and related workers

Mechanical and fabrication engineering

15.2

0.3

15.5

4.1

Automotive

22.2

0.3

22.5

6.0

Electrical and electronic

16.6

0.3

16.9

4.5

Construction

30.4

0.3

30.7

8.2

Food

14.5

4.7

19.2

5.2

Skilled agricultural and horticultural workers

5.4

0.8

6.2

1.6

Hairdressers

0.9

9.6

10.4

2.8

Tradespersons and related workers n.e.c.

0.4

0.1

0.5

0.1

Other

9.1

1.2

10.3

2.8

Total

114.6

17.6

132.2

35.4

Advanced clerical and service workers

2.4

8.4

10.7

2.9

Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers

32.7

69.8

102.5

27.5

Intermediate production and transport workers

41.9

5.5

47.4

12.7

Elementary clerical, sales and service workers

9.9

8.3

18.2

4.9

Labourers and related workers

23.5

9.2

32.7

8.8

Total

238.4

135.0

373.1

100.0

(a) Major groups are classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations.

Source: National Centre for Vocational Education Research, data available on request, National Vocational Education and Training Collection.

Staff

Table 10.16 shows the number of teachers working in VET institutions in 2001-02. Of all VET teachers 53% were employed part-time. The majority of full-time VET teachers (63%) were male. In contrast, 63% of part-time VET teachers were female.

10.16 VET TEACHING STAFF- 2001-02(a)

Full-time staff(b)

Part-time staff

All teaching staff

'000

'000

'000

Males

8.2

5.2

13.4

Females

4.4

9.0

13.4

Persons

12.6

14.2

26.8

(a) Average over the financial year.(b) Full-time refers to persons working 35 hours or more in the survey week.